AUBURN HILLS >> Pistons president of basketball operations and head coach Stan Van Gundy said at his introductory press conference he was going to look for a general manager who could help make up for some of his weaknesses.

Van Gundy feels Jeff Bower is the perfect guy for the job because of his diverse background at both the NBA and college levels.

“He’s done almost everything at the NBA level,” Van Gundy said at Bower’s introductory press conference. “He’s been an assistant coach, he’s been a head coach, he’s been a scout, he’s been an assistant general manager, he’s been a general manager so he’s got an experience the really allows him to know the NBA on every level in terms of what goes on in basketball operations.

“He’s had success in building a winning team in very trying circumstances in New Orleans. A lot of things going on there. ... He’s a proven talent evaluator. And I think the other thing is, besides his experience in the NBA, he’s coached at the college level. He was one of the first guys that really started doing a lot on the international stage at the college level bringing people over. He brought Rik Smits over and some others. He’s got experience at the college level. He’s got great experience in contacts internationally.”

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Bower had success during his tenure in New Orleans as the general manager, but will be in a different situation in Detroit with Van Gundy as the president of basketball operations.

Bower feels the setup won’t hinder him and will actually be beneficial because he will be forced to be on the same page with the head coach.

“One of the great things about this setup is the fact that any general manager has to work closely and be in sync with the head coach to be successful,” Bower said. “The great thing about this scenario is to have that head coach and that president be a basketball guy that has the experience, the leadership and the intellect that Stan has to be able to touch all the bases, to form that operating fashion moving forward. I’ll be here to help fill in the pieces, help move things along, offer ides, help formulate things as we move forward and we build the organization.”

Van Gundy will make all the final decisions, but he feels that part of the process is overblown and he doesn’t envision a time where he and Bower will have completely different opinions.

“I think the final decision thing gets overblown,” Van Gundy said. “What we want is a collaborative process with a lot of hard working, intelligent people who are thinking and we use the process to come to a decision. So I think ultimately your process and your procedures will make your decision. I look at my role in this ... is more working with Jeff to develop a vision and strategy of where we want to be. Jeff will be the primary guy. Particularly in the season, Jeff will be the primary guy on a day-to-day basis, talking to people about deals, evaluating players, things like that. This will be Jeff’s front office. I will be involved. We talked about lines of communication in keeping me involved when I’m busy with coaching, but day-to-day he’ll be the guy running things.”

Bower was out of the NBA last season and was the head coach at Marist College, a place he was an assistant head coach at from 1986 to 1995 and where he actually met Van Gundy who was an assistant coach at Fordham University back in 1988.

Leaving Marist wasn’t easy for Bower, but he felt the Pistons job was too good to pass up.

“I had as good of a situation as I thought was possible,” Bower said. “I love the school, the people, everybody connected with the program. I loved doing what I was doing. ... I think those feelings of emotion that only showed how unique and special this opportunity was to work with Stan and the Pistons organization, and this ownership group that would put us in position to accept the job. ... I thought that may be a once in a lifetime type of opportunity.”

Bower and Van Gundy will now get to work preparing for the NBA Draft, free agency and putting together a front office.

Moving forward both Bower and Van Gundy feel getting the right players who fit what they are trying to accomplish will be key.

“I think the key thing is understanding what players can and can’t do, and having a deep grasp of their strengths and their weaknesses,” Bower said. “And if you have a style of play that can play to their strengths.

“In this scenario understanding how Stan wants to play, understanding his impression of a player’s basic skill set will allow us to project a successful tenure for a player. It’s a little bit easier because we know what he values. And we know what he’ll be asked to do.

“I was asked a question about a player and evaluating him, ‘Why would I want to put him in the game or why would the coach want to put him in the game?’ What would he be put in the game to do? If there’s not that one clearcut answer then you gotta start digging deeper to see if there is that reason to put them in the game. Stan’s used the phrase ‘We’re not collecting talent, we’re trying to build a team.’ ”